“Recently I organised a two day festival at Bury Hill Fishery and this is my report of the events.

Ton up Steve hangs on to early lead

Bury Hill Fishery hosted another spring two day festival with a good turnout of 47 anglers taking part on the Old Lake at this famous fishery in Surrey. Event organiser Russ Evans was pleased with the turnout although three late drop outs prevented the maximum field he was looking for with the whole lake in use for the first time for a silvers festival. With a quality field taking part it was going to need some big weights to clinch the overall weight event and on day one the festival record was smashed by Steve O’Rourke who had a great day on the long pole catching bream, skimmers and tench for a brilliant 145lbs 7oz, 47 fish, from end peg 75. Steve was second from last at the draw bag and everyone knew the peg was going to throw up a good weight as some good practice catches were taken from behind the island pegs leading up to the festival. Catching on soft pellet over pellet and groundbait Steve confessed to his day as being one of the easiest day’s fishing he has had and got a bite on virtually every put out. Geoff Vallence a past winner of the event drew peg 35 on the long bank and feeder fished his way to 81lbs 2oz of bream and tench using a groundbait feeder and pellet attack casting two thirds over to the island.

Third place went to Chris Nicholls on peg 39 who caught a string of bream plus the odd tench late in the match on the long pole using corn and pellet over groundbait to put 73lbs 9oz on the scales.

Result day one

1 Steve O’Rourke (Nash Peg One) 145lbs 7oz

2 Geoff Vallence (P.I Delcac) 81lbs 2oz

3 Chris Nicholls (Garbolino Apollo) 73lbs 9oz

4 Jason Weir (Guildford AC) 70lbs 12oz

5 Tony Lock (Garbolino Apollo 64lbs 8oz

6 Lee Perry (Carshalton DAS) 52lbs 8oz

Day two

With a 60lbs plus lead from Day 1 Steve O’Rourke just needed a decent weight to help seal the festival and when he drew peg 43 along the long bank, Steve knew he needed to work a bit harder to put some fish into the net and he did just that with 28lbs 12oz to give him a final total of 174lbs 3oz and total festival winnings of £530. Nearest challenger Geoff Vallence drew peg 70 which was a good draw and using similar tactics as the previous day put 24 bream in the net for a day winning 75lbs 4oz to close the gap on the leader but his total of 156lbs 6oz put him approx. 6 bream short of winning, Geoff picked up a total of £550. Chris Nicholls put in another good performance from peg 26 using pole and pellet on two lines to put bream and tench in the net for 61lbs giving him a total good enough for third placed overall in the festival and collected £390 for his troubles. Third on day two was Andy Turner who feeder fished his way most of the time to a handy 60lbs 10oz of bream, skimmers and tench with hair rigged corn gaining most of his bites and action.

Result day two

1 Geoff Vallence (P.I Delcac) 75lbs 4oz

2 Chris Nicholls (Garbolino Apollo) 61lbs 0oz

3 Andy Turner (Carshalton DAS) 60lbs 10oz

4 Billy McKinley (Bury Hill) 57lbs 0oz

5 Tony Barthomlew (Anchor Croydon) 56lbs 4oz

6 Steve Gardener (Milo) 54lbs 10oz

Overall Top Six

1 Steve O’Rourke 174lbs 3oz (£350)

2 Geoff Vallence 156lbs 6oz (£230)

3 Chris Nicholls 133lbs 10oz (£150)

4 Billy McKinley 95lbs 12oz (£130)

5 Lee Perry 95lbs 9oz (£100)

6 Don Garnish 95lbs 9oz

The next Silvers Festival will be on 20 and 21 September 2011, £80 all in and to book in please call Russ on 01306 883621.”

Related links: Fish

“Life amongst the vines is anything but a walk in the park.  Some winemakers, especially smaller producers, invest more time and money in marketing and selling their wine than actually making it.  This is as crazy as it sounds but first-class winemakers want to devote efforts to wine excellence and Naked Wines have found a way to help this cause with “Angels.” 

Sold before grown

Here are a few examples of wines that were sold before the grapes had even been grown and they are perfectly suited for spring.

Benjamin Darnault Picpoul de Pinet 2010 is a refreshingly dry white wine from the Languedoc region in France and a great wine for fans of Sauvignon Blanc who are looking for something a little different.  With greenish gold hues in the glass, it has fresh lemon aromas and is surprisingly fruity and full-bodied, which is balanced by high natural acidity, making this wine a delicious partner for shellfish and seafood.

Castillo de Tafalla Rosado 2010 is a Spanish fruity rosé made from Garnacha (or Grenache) grapes.  A pretty pink colour, the wine displays berry flavours and a crispnesss to cut through cold charcuterie meats on a warm day. 

Party fizz

With all the celebrations and holidays around the corner I wanted to include some party fizz and have chosen Prosecco Spumante Borgo di Sassi, which is an outstanding example of classic Italian sparkling wine.  Prosecco spumante wines undergo a full secondary fermentation and are generally more expensive than regular Proseccos but this is a real bargain.

The Italians have got it right and sip Prosecco at any occasion.  Here is the UK the wine is rising in popularity as we opt for an alternative aperitif to Champagne.

The Borgo di Sasssi is lightly aromatic and a real crowd pleaser.  With light orchard and stone fruit flavours this would also be a lovely accompaniment to puddings with apples, pears, peaches or apricots – even a summer fruit salad.  Although lower in ABV at 11% (and therefore slightly fewer calories) the wine is still crisp enough to drink with dishes of pasta and ricotta cheese or else an indulgent tiramisu.”

Jenny Rudall caught up with our Badminton blogger Gemma Tattersall to find out exactly what happened to her and Kings Gem across country yesterday. Watch our interview below to find out what happened to cause her to fall, her plans for the rest of the season and who she's willing to win Badminton 2011. Watch the video below or visit our Badminton video page at http://www.horseandcountry.tv/badminton2011/video.

Jenny Rudall caught up with our Badminton blogger Gemma Tattersall to find out how she felt the dressage phase went and her plans for tomorrow's cross country test. Watch our interview below, set in the beautiful grounds of Badminton House to find out why she walked the course with Ruth Edge and why Kings Gem needs so much hand-grazing. Watch the video below or visit our Badminton video page at http://www.horseandcountry.tv/badminton2011/video.

Jenny Rudall caught up with our Badminton blogger Gemma Tattersall as she arrived at the Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials 2011. Watch our interview below, set in the beautiful grounds of Badminton House to find out whether Gemma's nervous and why her wardrobe for the trot up is so important. Watch the video below or visit our Badminton video page at http://www.horseandcountry.tv/badminton2011/video.

We all know how expensive riding and training can be so H&C’s Jenny Rudall looked into how you can get free help to ensure you get the most out of your season.

“With competition fees, petrol prices and the cost of feed going up, it's a struggle to find the funds to gain that all important help and training to ensure a safe and successful season.  Any free help and training advice is hugely welcome and I have found some great websites and ideas that can help supplement your own training regime, without you spending a penny!

H&C comes to the rescue

I am obviously a bit biased when I say that the help and advice offered by H&C is not only free but fantastic as well, but it truly is. 

H&C has a huge team of experts all willing to share their advice and training ideas and all it takes is a quick email to the editor with your query. So if you have a burning question or are in need of some training tips please do get in touch by emailing webeditor@horseandcountry.tv.

H&C has a huge array of videos that range across the disciplines, from How to Succeed at Prelim and Edward Gal's Masterclass for dressage fans, and for those who like their horses hooves to leave the floor, Sharon Hunt’s How Tos are brilliant.  A particular favourite of mine that not only gave me a ton of training ideas but made me cry with laughter is the Geoff Billington Masterclass. 

H&C has manged to cover many topics, from videos on How to Leg Yield to case studies on riding shoulder in, and if what you want is not there, all you have to do is ask and we we will make it for you.

Enough about us

There are few sites that I really find exciting, but when I saw this Facebook page I marvelled at the simple genius of it.  For those of you who event at the lower levels, it is a tricky business deciding which event to go to and with no time or money to school or check out every event, you want to be sure to choose a course suitable for both horse and rider.  This page solves that problem. Visit the British Eventing Course Photo page.  

It is such a simple idea: When you're out eventing this season, take your digital camera with you and take some snaps of each fence on the course you are walking and then e-mail them to bexcpics@hotmail.com. 

This means that over time there will be a complete and free catalogue of courses to help you in your choices throughout the season.  So whether you like a small course or a big and bold course, you can find the course right for you.

Camera action

My next site follows the same lines and on Equi-spy you’ll experience the thrills and spills of riding through a helmet camera worm by Kate Lukas, a professional event rider in Surrey. Kate takes us through show jumping and cross country rounds with her trusty camera attached and it is great for training and awareness or to help you plan which courses you and your horse would like to undertake throughout the season.  

The horses range from BE90 to Advanced and go around a large variety of the courses. With footage unedited, you get to see the good, the bad and the ugly.

Youtube and dressage

Some of us find it easier to ride a test than others and, when reading through your test for the first time at home, have you ever been confused by the movements listed? Check if you're translating the instructions correctly by clicking onto www.youtube.com and type in your dressage test, for example Prelim 18, and I guarantee that some kind soul will have recorded themselves riding the test and you can watch and learn and decipher what to do. 

By watching a few, you can take away some tips on how to ride or indeed how to not ride the test.   

Forums

Another great place to find free advice is on forums and it is worth checking out the forums on BE, BSJA and BD. Although not all the advice on there is helpful, you will find some likeminded people willing to offer some tips and you may even find others who share your worries.

Get watching

My final tip is to get out there and watch at your local shows. Go onto the BE, BD or BSJA websites or look in our Events database to find out when shows are on and go and watch.  These competitions are normally free and even though they are smaller than events like Hickstead or Badminton, the big names will all be there working young horses or giving their more experienced horses a run.  Watch how they walk the show jumping course, see how they work on the flat and pick a fence cross country you don’t know how to ride and watch as the different competitors tackle it.

Watch, learn then go out and have fun.”

Related links: Dressage | Show Jumping | Eventing

“The weekend of 9 to 10 April saw the LG Arena at the NEC in Birmingham packed to the rafters for the Parelli Celebration – two days of education and inspiration from Linda and Pat Parelli and some of their top instructors from across Europe. It was quite the weekend!

Horsenality

The theme of this year’s event was Horsenality, a system and tool to help people understand horses through their basic personality types. Throughout the weekend we learned about the four main categories of horses (from a behavioural and personality perspective) and the relevant strategies to apply with horses in different situations to help them become more balanced and centred. Through the eyes of Pat and Linda we observed several different horses and learned to read their body language and behaviour. We also got to see the Horsenality strategies in action in lessons Pat and Linda did with several Parelli instructors and their horses. Linda has since written about the lesson with UK instructor Larisa Tasker in her own blog here, Horses don’t think like people.

The Horsenality tool has been available to Parelli students for some time now, and it’s been the catalyst for many a breakthrough, including for me and my own horse. At the Celebration the next pieces of the puzzle were also revealed: a Humanality report, which looks at each individual’s psychological characteristics, behaviours and traits, and a Match report, which brings together the horse and human profiles to explain the appropriate strategies for each unique combination. I did a Horsenality report for my horse Sol last year and it gave me a ton of insightful and practical tips and strategies. I haven’t done the Humanality survey yet but look forward to doing that and finding out more about myself, particularly as it was developed in conjunction with Dr. Patrick Handley, a professional psychologist and personality assessment expert. At least I think I want to know!

Magic’s last UK visit

The weekend was also Pat Parelli’s 20-year old Quarter horse mare Magic’s last visit to the UK. Magic is a well-known and much loved horse around the world, and there was hardly a dry eye in the house as Pat had his “last dance” with her – there’s a clip of it now on YouTube which is just lovely. Magic will return home to the US for one last appearance there before enjoying her retirement as a broodmare. I love that horse!

Another highlight for me were the spotlight sessions with three of Pat’s top European instructors: Silke Vallentin from Germany, who lost the use of her legs in a car accident in 1983, and Swiss instructors Walter Gegenschatz and Mikey Wanzenried. Their demonstrations playing with their horses on the ground On Line and at Liberty, and then riding (both with bridles and without) were simply awe-inspiring. The event’s official photographer managed to capture some amazing photos of them which you can see in this public album on Facebook.

Helping out behind the scenes

This year I was helping out behind the scenes so got a very interesting perspective on what it actually takes to prepare and set up for such a massive event, what goes on during the event itself and then do the tear down afterwards. There were many moving parts, but they all worked together incredibly smoothly. In addition to the core Parelli events team and UK staff we had over 60 volunteers from across the UK and many other European instructors, as well as one lady who’d travelled all the way from Western Australia! We had several days of very early mornings, long days and lots of hard work, but it all worked beautifully and no-one stopped smiling for the whole weekend. What a team! I co-led a fantastic team which manned the Parelli Connect booth – several hundred new members signed up to the membership program over the weekend which was very exciting!

Worldwide community

The worldwide community is one of the most remarkable aspects of being a Parelli student. In the last few years I’ve met people from all over the world. What’s becoming increasingly apparent is the power of that community to have a positive impact in the equine world. A really exciting development is the Parelli Horsemanship Fund, which was also launched at the Birmingham weekend. With money raised through Parelli members and other initiatives (like the cute Parelli Ponies which were sold at the event, plus a fully sold-out party on the Saturday night at the Hilton hotel, with all profits going to the Fund), the Fund will provide educational materials and support for four main causes: horsemanship for kids, scholarships to help develop future professionals, horse rescues, and therapeutic riders. I think this is a bold and exciting development and I can’t wait to see how this will unfold. I know it already benefited a lot of people from several UK rescue centres who were given VIP seats at the Celebration courtesy of the Fund, as well as donations of educational materials to a kids’ scheme in Hertfordshire. This is just the beginning... 

As the dust settles after this massive event, it’s been great to see feedback about it all over Facebook and Parelli Connect from people who came along – people inspired by what they saw and learned and who have already noticed an uptick in the relationships they have with their horses and what they’re able to achieve by being positive, progressive and natural. That’s what it’s all about at the end of the day.”

“With Keysoe premier league done and dusted, it was back down to Earth and time to take a couple of the younger horses out again.

Bracks’ first advanced medium

On Saturday 16, we took Bracks (Headmore Boadicia) to Berkshire Riding Centre to do her first ever advanced medium. I was feeling very confident as Erik (Theilgaard, my trainer) had seen her in a lesson this week and he was very impressed with how much she had come on and said that she is going as well as she can at the moment! She hadn’t been to a show for about six weeks but nevertheless she warmed up well and her changes felt super. She got a little bit hot in the test as you warm up inside and the test is outside, but she made no mistakes and stayed with me. Her changes were good but they are so expressive and she almost tried to jump too high off the ground in them! She needs to learn to stay forwards as she puts so much expression in them that she gets a bit stuck, but they were correct which is more than enough for her first advanced medium! We scored a massive 76.88% and won, proving that she will definitely be a better horse at the higher levels!

Relaxation for Zue and a new stallion

Then, on Sunday 17, we took Zué to Sparsholt for another outing. We were just hoping that he would be starting to settle to his competing and relax into it, so I gave him some of my trusty Nupafeed to try and help him do so. He was much more relaxed and his concentration was much better, he is now starting to stay with me at a show rather than letting his excitement get the better of him! We were very pleased at it was a massive improvement from last time and as he relaxes into his competing I’m sure the scores will come!

I have another very exciting bit of news this week! I have a new ride who arrived on Tuesday. Don Rolieto is a rising three-year-old graded BWBS stallion by Don Ricoss. He is owned by Sue Botha and is a very exciting young prospect!”

Related links: Dressage

"After a quiet week to recover from our Portugal trip we were back into action getting ready for one day events at Somerley Park, Portman and we had an interview with H&C at my first teaching clinic.

Results

Despite raining all the way to Somerley, things brightened up on arrival and we had a good day. Greenstone jumped a super double clear in the intermediate to finish third and Dinky Inky followed suit to come fifth in the Novice. Kings Gem was having her final pre-Badminton run which was nerve-wracking but all went well and fingers crossed it will stand us in good stead.

A win for Chico Bella

Portman was an early start and again a wet day but the horses were great with the highlight of the day being Chico Bella who won the Novice on a dressage of 25 and a double clear. She is such a lovely horse and I am really excited about her future.

Cotton wool for Gem please!

The following weekend saw us heading to our local event South of England. I just had one horse running which was Tropique in his first Intermediate. I also took Kings Gem to do a dressage test as we need to keep practising. Gem was on early and was very relaxed so I was really pleased with her and wrapped her up in her cotton wool and put her back on the lorry; we are not taking any chances.

Tropique was also really relaxed in his test which was great as he had a bit of a break after Portugal and I thought he might be tense. He was a bit keen in the show jumping but went clear which I was pleased about, as it seemed to be causing a few problems.

He pulled my arms out cross country (which I hope was a result of the gap since his last run) but he was bold and straight and we came home clear just with a fair few time faults due to him being slightly unruly! He finished seventh and overall I was pleased with his first outing at this level.

Next weekend sees us heading up to Burnham Market in Norfolk and then the week after we head to the big B. Keep everything crossed and I will keep you all up to date with my progress on the H&C Badminton page."  

Related links: Eventing

“Well, the weather this week has been unbelievable. I now have quite a nice 'farmer’s tan'! I think once you get past a certain age (and business) tan seems to fade into insignificance. Lovely to get some sunshine and warm weather, but I must admit on Wednesday I was absolutely roasting. Our indoor school was out of action as we are having serious work done here, lots and lots of digging so although the horses can cope with most things, constant digging next door is not beneficial to our schooling/ jumping sessions! All the work is in aid of some temporary stables (which will be fairly permanent) and our XC course which I hope will be started soon. We also have the fence for the gallops now in but this is a long term plan.

Busy week

The week has flown by far too quickly. My yard is nearly full, 16 horses and horses in the fields but as the weather is so good they can go out at night and also as there are so many boxes here I can use some others where necessary thankfully!

I went to my usual XC schooling venue, Lodge Farm Wednesday; it has a great grass cover there and all weather take off and landings so if the ground is firmer it's still okay. I took Bomber who will be aimed at Milton Keynes next 90 and then a 100 soon, Elsa who will do her first event at Milton Keynes, she is improving daily and I’m really looking forward to competing her. Luna who is my new mare, slightly unsure XC but generally very brave and Fly to prepare for South of England...

A catch up with Charlie

I had a busy day Friday before my event though, as Charlie Unwin came for a catch up on my life and competitions.There was a lot to tell with several events gone and Barroca. Generally, it all has been great but there are always things in the background that don't help. As a rider we have a million different things to do, riding is just a small part of it and running the business is the majority with all its complications! So to be able to talk and deal with every part of this is great, I went into the next competition far more relaxed.

I also gave a gift day experience; Barbara Singleton Green who had a great day in the sunshine watching me ride, meeting the staff and all the horses and generally shadowing us. She sent a lovely email thanking us for a great day out, we enjoy the days so I hope everyone will too!

South of England

We left for the South of England early on Saturday with Luna and Fly who were in the 100 sections. I walked the course and was pleasantly surprised at how good the ground was. Yes, it was on the firmer side but had a great grass cover so pretty much perfect. The courses hadn't changed much from last year but were still good, I felt the 100 is quite strong in a couple of places but this is good as I had experienced horses! Fly was at his first event and was slightly too keen in his dressage and cantered a couple of times to give a couple of mistakes to an otherwise very good test. Luna was very studious and scored 26, she will do a superb test soon...  They both show jumped very well and had clear rounds and also went clear XC. Fly was quite keen at times so I had a three time faults annoyingly and finished eighth not third. Luna was very good and clear in the time meant she finished second. I was delighted, as are her owners, The Carters, as this was our first event together, hopefully a good sign of things to come!

Superstar Imp 

I returned the next day with Maisey, Romeo and Imp. This was’d’ day for Imp and I to see how far we have come this year on.  I was quite worried that if he didn't go well I would feel very deflated and that I didn't know what to do, but luckily he was a superstar. He performed a lovely test to score 21. Maisey also performed very well for 28 and Romeo, a bit bright and strong, was on 32 penalties. They all show jumped well too, clear. I didn't have a fence down that competition, so I’m very proud of that!

I rode Romeo first XC; he wasn't going to win on 32 so I took him at a reasonable pace but not too quickly as it was his first run back. He was very good, but a little strong but was clear. Maisey was excellent, again slightly strong but lovely and bold and she too was clear and finished eighth. I was quite nervous before Imp’s round as I so wanted him to go well; I think anyone who knows me well knows how much it would mean to get him enjoying his XC consistently! Francis Whittington kindly helped me with a few ideas which really worked well as he stormed around clear. There was plenty to look at too, two waters and a couple of inter-space fences so I felt it was a good test. I had some time faults which I was quite happy with as this will come later, for now I just want to keep him relaxed. He finished sixth and I was very happy!

Lessons with Joel

I have also had lessons with Joel on Amber, Romeo, Maisey and Bertie. They are jumping so well now and have changed so much from last season I expect clear rounds now and hope the day doesn't come again when I have fences down! Sadly I couldn't have a lesson with Red this week as he has developed a small allergy to pollen and is sneezing. This has already nearly gone again thank goodness but he has missed Burnham which means that Houghton is possibly off now as I'll only have one run before which isn't really enough as I need to make sure the arrowheads are sorted but we'll see.

Sue and Katherine Cross came down to stay with us for a couple of days and brought their pony Jack with them, who is adorable. I gave Katherine a couple of things to go away with but they look like they have a great partnership already. I schooled and jumped Billy to show Sue, he was impeccably behaved thankfully and we will aim him at some four-year-old young event classes this year.  We went to our local pub/restaurant for dinner with the team, we have great places to eat locally!

Burnham Market: infuriating ground conditions

We left for Burnham and stayed at my parents again on the way up. The journey took forever as there was a crash on the M25, is not often it catches me out but when it does it's always bad timing! Finishing quite late Thursday, we then decided to ride a few before leaving for Burnham. I had Fly in the novice, his first, I thought the XC was a great first novice run. Sadly the ground could've been much better though, they had spiked the course but not watered and really as the ground is so hard that's not enough for good going. The course is aerated on Wednesday or Thursday too which means it does get harder as the weekend goes on. We had a small amount of rain Friday night but not enough to make a difference. I have to write that I was infuriated to see them pouring water on the roads Saturday to stop the dust and not on the course. Without our horses running there wouldn't be an event, so let’s preserve the horses!  Fly performed a good test but could be so much better, still scored 32. He was a bit spooky show jumping and just had the last fence down, so he needs practice ideally before next time. He was very good XC, quite keen but more relaxed. I had a steering issue at the water when he literally flew down the steps and then nearly deposited me in the water! Other than that he was good.

As the stabling was £92 per horse on site I decided to stable off site which was far cheaper. However I couldn't get the lorry in the yard which was slightly stressful and now have a few added scratches on Rita. This doesn't leave me in the best of moods I must admit! The stabling was lovely so worth the journey, not sure about the scratches though yet.  We had an early start Saturday; they had intermediates, advanced and novice on the Saturday. I guess because the u18s are at school in the week, it means that all our times are crammed into a very short space so we only have 20 minutes to warm up for the dressage on each horse which is a shame and not long enough. Amber was quite hot, not sure why but she was good most of the test but her walk was tense and the score of 38 reflected that.  Maisey did a good test, poor mark of 36 and Bert pretty much ditto on 35. Romeo was good, 32. My show jumping I’m very proud of at the moment, they all jumped clear rounds and beautifully. I didn't feel that I would have a fence down ever with them and that's a nice feeling!  They had watered the ring there and this showed as they jumped well off of it. This was very much appreciated.

A slow XC run

I decided only to go slowly XC with them as the firm ground. I think if people keep running their horses flat out now they really won't last very long. I consciously  have made the decision if I'm not going to be in the top three or four and the ground isn't great, I'd rather go slowly and look after them and finish nowhere than quickly and tenth. This doesn't help my bank balance now but we only really win money from first to sixth anyway. Everyone wants different things from competitions and I want horses for the future and I have very high hopes for these ones.

Romeo was fantastic, he is great fun to ride, and I have put on a controller noseband which helps him not to cross his jaw and has worked perfectly. Maisey was awesome and also clear. Bertie set off unbelievably well, faultless. Then I was held for ages on course as the frangible pin on the coffin kept breaking. He started again very well but a little on his forehand where he had relaxed and perhaps was a little tired. He jumped through the water well and then I probably slowed too much for the coffin and where he was a little green he shot me forward as he spooked at the ditch and I annoyingly fell off. I was furious with myself as I shouldn't have and should've jumped clear. Never mind, this happens and I have learnt from it!

I set off with Amber well, I also put the nose band on her and I had complete control, fantastic. She jumped foot perfect through all the first combinations, then for some unknown reason ran out at a narrow before the drop. I have no idea why as she was so good and focused everywhere else, I can only guess. I wonder if she wasn't enjoying the ground as she is such a big jumper she would exert pressure on her joints/legs. So I pulled up and will work on narrows at home and take her XC schooling. There is always another day. At least I have brakes now! 

So overall a disappointing weekend in some ways but delighted with them in others. Lots of dressage practise this week and narrows. Also Badminton, how could we forget, should be very exciting!

It's the first time in eight years that I'm not going! But this time will be sitting watching - I’m helping Horse & Country with commentary and I’m really looking forward to it!”

Related links: Eventing